The last name was spelled Mucklewaine in early records, as well asseve ral other variants, but always pronounced the same. It is one ofthe o ldest family names in Scotland and one of the first ten Macs.
While this man may or may not have come to America with his son as oure arliest immigrant ancestor, there are a few things known aboutearlier a ncestors in Scotland:
"John Macilvaine, living in 1632, married Anna Corrie of the Corriesof K elwood, who inherited the estates of her family by the death ofher bro ther. She died in February 1632, her will is in the registersoffice a t Edinburgh.
John Macilvaine of Grimet, son of John MacIlvaine and Anna Corrie isbe lieved to have married a Cunningham, niece of William, Earl ofGlencair n. She is mentioned in the will of Quentin MacIlvaine inconnection wi th his nephews, 'the young sons of John MacIlvaine ofGrimet.' Quentin M acIlvaine made disposition of Thomaston in hispossession, having been s old for the payment of fines and debts.John MacIlvaine died September 2 1, 1669. His son, John, succeeded toGrimet, but with him the property p assed from the family as a resultof their being Covenanters.
At this time religious persecutions forced the family to take refugefo r a short time in the north of Ireland, making their home by theshores o f Loughneagh in Ulster. Until 1692 their names are to befound on the r ecords of Old Kerk as members of the sessions. Their
names appear on almost all of the documents signed by the gentry andkn own as the "Solemn League and Covenant." It was during thepersecution o f the covenanters in the war resulting in the death ofKing Charles the F irst, of England, that the property of the
MacIlvaines passed from their hands. One of the descendants of JohnMa cIlvaine who shortly returned to Ayrshire was Joseph McIlvaine,born ab out 1700."
A McElvain descendant, Frank McElvain of Topeka, KS, in 1945 said heha d documentary records of the family back to Nigel McYlveyne, Lairdof G rimet, Scotland, about 1399. He visited the old estates and theRecor d House in Edinburgh in 1919 while serving in the Army ofOccupation.
